CLDP

Envisioning a Framework for the Engaged CitizenmCiviC LEarning DEvELoPmEntaL

Pathway

ConneCtiCut Campus CompaCt mission:

Connecticut Campus Compact advances the public purpose of colleges and universities by

deepening their ability to implement all forms of public engagement, providing civic pathways

to academic and career success, and nurturing a culture of engaged citizenship on campus and

within communities.

student advisory CounCil mission:

Our goal is to make significant progress toward a comprehensive, exemplary framework for civic

learning and participation, spanning the educational spectrum from elementary to graduate school,

and across institution type, in an effort to develop students who are civically engaged in their

communities. We hope to promote recognition of a developmental, interdisciplinary model for civic

learning and participation that will facilitate student academic and career success, and commitment

to community through progressively enriching civic learning experiences. Our model will seek to

integrate education and engagement to ultimately connect citizenship with success.

student advisory CounCil members:

Daryll Fay, Fairfield University, Class of 2013

Charlotte Freeland, University of Connecticut, Class of 2013

Rachael Lederman, Norwalk Community College, Trinity College, Class of 2014

Connecticut Campus Compact, Dolan House, Rm. 105, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. Email: ctcc@fairfield.edu.Website: http://fairfield.edu/ctcampuscompactCopyright © 2012 Connecticut Campus Compact. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on obtaining reprints or excerpts contact Connecticut Campus Compact. Connecticut Campus Compact Student Advisory Council. Civic Learning Developmental Pathway: Envisioning a Framework for the Engaged Citizen. Fairfield, CT: Connecticut Campus Compact, 2012.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ii ACkNOWLEDgEmENTS

iii FOREWORD

1 introduCtion

3 part i: “Experiences, Education, and Attitudes that Shape Student Civic Engagement”

11 part ii: “Admission to Mission: Tools to Building a Pathway of Engagement on Campus”

19 part iii: “Civic Engagement and its Preparation of Students for Success”

27 ConClusion

28 WORkS CiTED

ConneCtiCut Campus CompaCt mission:

Connecticut Campus Compact advances the public purpose of colleges and universities by deepening

their ability to implement all forms of public engagement, providing civic pathways to academic and

career success, and nurturing a culture of engaged citizenship on campus and within communities.

student advisory CounCil mission:

Our goal is to make significant progress toward a comprehensive, exemplary framework for civic learning

and participation, spanning the educational spectrum from elementary to graduate school, and across

institution type, in an effort to develop students who are civically engaged in their communities. We hope

to promote recognition of a developmental, interdisciplinary model for civic learning and participation that

will facilitate student academic and career success, and commitment to community through progressively

enriching civic learning experiences. Our model will seek to integrate education and engagement to

ultimately connect citizenship with success.

student advisory CounCil members:

Daryll Fay, Fairfield University, Class of 2013

Charlotte Freeland, University of Connecticut, Class of 2013

Rachael Lederman, Norwalk Community College, Trinity College, Class of 2014

Connecticut Campus Compact

Dolan House, Rm. 105, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824

Email: ctcc@fairfield.edu

Website: http://fairfield.edu/ctcampuscompact

Copyright © 2012 Connecticut Campus Compact. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on obtaining reprints or excerpts contact Connecticut Campus Compact. Connecticut Campus Compact Student Advisory Council. Civic Learning Developmental Pathway: Envisioning a Framework for the Engaged Citizen. Fairfield, CT: Connecticut Campus Compact, 2012.

5 i part i ACkNOWLEDgEmENTS i ii

ACkNOWLEDgEmENTSThe Student Advisory Council would like to thank Dr. Saul Petersen, kathryn Ramsey, Shevonn

Johnson, and katie Coutu for their continued support throughout the year in providing resources

and support in the development of this project. We would also like to express gratitude to

the CTCC Board of Directors for acknowledging this work and their continued support for the

expansion of the Student Advisory Council in the future. Finally, we thank our advisors at our

respective academic institutions for their nomination and behind the scenes effort in making this

process possible.

vii i i part i FOREWORD i iii

“Civic knowledge and responsibility need to be expressed throughout one’s life for a vibrant democracy to flourish. They must be developed across a broad array of arenas, both within school and its identified communities... (s)tudents will perceive opportunities instead of obstacles when the pathway of civic learning is made clear.”

– Excerpt from Civic Learning Developmental Pathway: Envisioning a Framework for the Engaged Citizen

As educators, we share a responsibility to engage students in learning for life. The decisions we make about how we create communities of learning greatly impact how students develop as informed and engaged citizens. This report by the Student Advisory Council of Connecticut Campus Compact finds that civic engagement plays a key role in fostering the very skills, knowledge and values that enable students to be successful. Council members Charlotte Freeland, Rachel Lederman, and Daryll Fay point to research on civic learning outcomes at all phases of development.

At the k-12 level:

■■ Well-constructed curricula that integrates civic learning across disciplines enhances civic participation later in educational and professional experiences

■■ Being civically-oriented contributes to students’ motivation to do well in school, ultimately increasing their likelihood of graduation

While in an undergraduate institution:

■■ Students who are civically engaged are much more likely to become democratic citizens with clear ideas of how they will positively contribute to their community

■■ Skills developed through civic engagement such as leadership, critical thinking, problem recognition, and global awareness are the very skills being sought at an increasing rate by employers

Beyond their college education:

■■ The civically engaged adult has strong connections to his/her community, a deeper understanding of local culture and politics, and a perceived responsibility for community well-being

■■ Community economic growth is predicted by the degree to which its population is engaged

The student council provides a call to action – by working together, we can envision civic learning experiences that offer our students a clear direction. Together, we have an opportunity to learn from one another and build this pathway to engagement.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey von Arx, S.J. President, Fairfield University Chair, Connecticut Campus Compact

FOREWORD

x i part i introduCtion i 1

introduCtionConnecticut’s state motto is “the Land of Steady Habits”. The purpose of this document is to

challenge the “habits” of civic engagement and the method through which active and engaged

citizenship is nurtured throughout our educational system. According to Thomas Ehrlich, civic

engagement is defined as:

Working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and

developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation

to make that difference, and promoting the quality of life in a community,

through both political and non-political processes.

Considerable evidence has supported the view that civic engagement plays a key role in academic,

career, and personal success (Engagement and Cress). in fact, the skills, knowledge, and values

fostered through such engagement facilitate students’ progress and transition through education

and beyond. Through research and a review of the literature, the Student Advisory Council of

Connecticut Campus Compact outlines a Civic Learning Developmental Pathway (CLDP) that

addresses how civic engagement and the characteristics developed facilitate students’ successful

progress and transition through education and beyond. We envision a comprehensive, exemplary

framework for civic learning and participation, spanning the educational spectrum from

elementary to graduate school, and across institution type, in an effort to develop students who

are actively engaged in their communities.

2 i part i part i i 3

part iExPERiENCES, EDUCATiON, AND ATTiTUDES THAT SHAPE STUDENT CiviC ENgAgEmENT

There has been a frightening shift away from teaching civics in the high school classroom. Only

half of US states make it a requirement for graduation (Engagement 6). Yet k-12 education is

the cornerstone for both functioning democracies and college readiness. Research on civic

learning echoes findings of those in higher education. For example, it was found that a well-

constructed curricula that integrates civic learning across disciplines enhances civic participation

later in students’ educational and professional careers (Engagement 28). Additionally, being

“civically-oriented” contributes to their motivation to do well in school, ultimately increasing the

likelihood of graduation (Torbey-Purta and Wilkenfeld 23).

The Campaign for Civic Missions of Schools argues that there should be three C’s driving reform

in k-12 education: college, career, and citizenship. Currently, however, due to pressures from the

business, government and public sectors, great emphasis is placed on college and careers, with

many curricula omitting components of

“citizenship” (O’Connor and Hamilton 5).

Yet this shift in behavior does not align

with the abundance of evidence and

longitudinal studies that support that civic

engagement contributes to academic and

career success (Levine 12-19).

The six practices in table 1.1 have been proven effective in promoting civic learning at the

primary and secondary school levels and contributing to student success in and out of the

classroom (Campaign for the Civic mission of Schools 6–7).

...(A) well-constructed curricula that integrates civic

learning across disciplines enhances civic participation

later in their educational and professional careers.

4 i part i part i i 5

Table 1.2 PRACTiCES iN k-12 EDUCATiON THAT PROmOTE CiviC HEALTH

Practice Description

Involve Parents Provide leadership training and civics education for parents and guardians. Reach out to those who may not feel empowered to get engaged and expand programs that work.

Provide More Resources to Teachers Support all teachers to be trained in teaching civics, particularly experiential materials that are relevant to everyday life.

Bring Civics into the Core Treat civics like an essential life and career skill. Weave it into the curriculum and make it accessible to all children, particularly those attending inner city schools.

Partner with NPOs Work with nonprofit organizations that conduct programs to increase students’ awareness of and engagement in civic life.

Engaging youth in their communities requires partnership and support from adults, but this

cannot happen when adolescents and adults operate in separate community spheres. This

can result in a reduced expectation of accountability and responsibility on the part of the

adolescent. This lack of clear expectations can then “impede the creation of broader and

multiple pathways for civic engagement,

and the involvement of youth as partners

in building civil society” (Camino and

Zeldin 213). in order to avoid this

reinforcement of civic ‘dis’engagement,

new policies and practices must be created

strategically with a clear sequence of

experiential opportunities that collectively

lead to students’ successful negotiation of

their civic pathways.

Engaging youth in their communities requires

partnership and support from adults, but this

cannot happen when adolescents and adults

operate in separate community spheres.

Table 1.1 S ix PRACTiCES FOR PROmOTiNg CiviC LEARNiNg AT THE PRimARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL LEvELS

Practices

Student Participation in School governance Discussion of Current Events and Controversial Subjects.

Simulations of Democratic Processes introduction to the Subject matter of Democracy

Extracurricular Activities Service Learning

Source: Campaign for Civic Mission of Schools. Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools. Silver Spring, MD: Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, 2011. 6-7. Print.

integration of these practices is not only possible, but can be done in ways that challenge or

encourage the student to think from increasing broad perspectives and from ever greater

sources of information and context. Building students’ civic acumen can and should be treated

developmentally as any other subject matter. A difference posited here is that civic learning

necessarily must cross the curriculum and reach out into the community for maximum

effectiveness and transfer (see later sections).

The Connecticut Civic Health index calls

attention to the importance of creating a

strong “civic infrastructure”, insisting on a need

for “hands-on civic education for all children,

in every school district, taught in ways that

show how civics connects to daily life” (Ramos

and Thomas 19). Specifically, the Connecticut

Civic Health Advisory group outlined k-12

practices that will strengthen Connecticut’s

civic health. The descriptions from the report

are found in table 1.2 (Ramos and Thomas 22).

A difference posited here is that civic

learning necessarily must cross the curriculum

and reach out into the community for maximum

effectiveness and transfer.

6 i part i part i i 7

A study conducted by CiRCLE (The Center for information and Research on Civic Learning and

Engagement) found that activities thought to promote students’ general democratic character

that is, learning how to actively listen to diverse viewpoints, resulted in gains in conversation

and increased confidence whilst communicating about political issues and current events,

with teachers, friends, and classmates. This study also found that when teachers discussed

concrete ways, other than voting, for students to have a voice in political affairs, there were

positive gains in students’ self-reported political efficacy. Furthermore, they revealed that

discussion of international issues (i.e., America’s role in the world) over the course of the

semester made students more likely to express concerns about their economic future (e.g.,

jobs, ability to support a family) (mcintosh and munoz 10).

Another way that students in grades k-12 can be supported through their civic development

is by participating in tutoring, mentoring, and other programs, with current college students.

Positive, older role models can assist in student preparation for college. Research has shown

these programs yield favorable benefits, such as increased retention and engagement,

for both the youth they serve and the college students who serve as mentors (gallini and

moely 12).

One initiative funded by Learn and Serve America Higher Education, ASSETS (Accent on

Student Success: Engaged Together for Service), developed an intergenerational approach

to community engagement through service-learning projects. This three-year initiative

(2006–2009) brought together baby boomers, k-12 students, and community college students

in an effort to promote academic and civic engagement opportunities for disadvantaged

youth through service-learning projects focused on homeland security and emergency

preparedness. Survey data from more than 1,500 college students indicate overwhelming

success, with nine out of ten students reporting improved attitudes toward academic learning

and increased likelihood of becoming involved in future community service work.

The following descriptions were adapted from Camino and Zeldin and detail opportunities for

youth community involvement and civic engagement:

Table 1.3OPPORTUNiTiES FOR YOUTH COmmUNiTY iNvOLvEmENT AND CiviC ENgAgEmENT

Practice Description

Public Policy Consultation on Youth Issues

Young people advise public leaders and governance bodies to provide a youth perspective, particularly for those policies focused on youth issues

Community Coalitions for Youth Development

Provides an effective forum for citizen representation and voice and the benefits of participatory democracy

Youth Infusion in Organizational Decision Making

Organizations can foster supportive relationships between youth and adults to maximize youth potential

Youth Organizing Foster “effective youth development and concrete social change” through youth-organizing programs and initiatives.

School-Based Service Learning An instructional method that seeks to maximize individual learning while concurrently addressing community needs, thus serving as a vehicle for positive youth development, education for citizen action and a catalyst for social change

Source: Camino, Linda, and Shepherd Zeldin. From Periphery to Center: Pathways for Youth Civic Engagement in the Day-To-Day Life of Communities. Applied Developmental Science, 6 (4), 2002; table 216-218.

A growing body of literature and evidence suggests that these approaches to civic education

yield positive, lasting outcomes in youth that translate into adulthood (mcintosh and munoz 7).

indeed, deliberative classroom discussions are positively associated with political knowledge, an

increased interest in politics, and feelings of political efficacy (6-10). By providing teachers with

adequate resources and training, involving family in their student’s education, and providing

multiple outlets for participating in such democratic discussions the classroom can serve as a

valuable environment for cultivating political discussion and involvement.

8 i part i part i i 9

There is a great need to capitalize on students’ yearning, inclination and commitment for

meaningful community service experiences and opportunities to contribute to systemic

social and political change. For the reasons detailed thus far, educators, policy-makers, and

government should feel confident that the risks far outweigh the costs in relation to a strategic

and developmental approach to student civic acumen.

Call to aCtion

We must fix our attention on individual civic transformation and the development of a sense

of civic and personal efficacy. This requires a more developmental, holistic look at the distinct

life experiences shaping students’ civic engagement. it is evident that quality community

engagement requires leadership, planning, support, and evaluation. Such assets will facilitate the

civic learning developmental pathways of k-12 students as they progress through the education

system and onto college as productive, engaged citizens.

Perhaps most significantly, nearly 90% of American

indian, Black/African American, and Hispanic/

Latino students said that they are more likely to

complete a college degree after participating in

service-learning courses. Approximately 974,000

school-age youth participated in Learn and Serve

America−funded service-learning activities in the

2008–2009 academic year (Eyler, giles, Stenson,

and gray; Cress 10).

Furthermore, according to one study, 70% of surveyed students who dropped out of high school

reported that they did not see the real-world applications of their schoolwork (Bridgeland,

Dilulio, and morison 19). Therefore, the benefits of integrating classroom education to the larger

community and society are innumerable and well supported by research, providing a strong call

to action for education providers.

One pioneering resource in this study of civic engagement is A Crucible Moment: College

Learning and Democracy’s Future, which “includes a national call to action designed to make

civic and democratic learning an expected outcome for every college student, and an integrated

part of education from pre-school to professional schools” (AACU). This document makes

valuable recommendations on how to strengthen students’ civic learning and democratic

engagement, not only benefitting the individual, but further serving as an investment in the

nation’s social, intellectual, and civic capital. indeed, “education plays a fundamental role in

building civic vitality”, as civically-oriented students have demonstrated a greater overall capacity

to, “spur local and global economic vitality, social and political well-being, and collective action

to address public problems” (Engagement 2). Thus it is imperative to provide the resources and

opportunities for intellectual and civic development to best equip our future community leaders

and active members.

Perhaps most significantly, nearly

90% of American Indian,

Black/African American, and

Hispanic/Latino students said that

they are more likely to complete a college

degree after participating in

service-learning courses.

10 i part i part i i i 11

part i i: ADmiSSiON TO miSSiON: TOOLS TO BUiLDiNg A PATHWAY OF ENgAgEmENT ON CAmPUS

The admissions process and mission statement of a college is an integral element to building

a culture of engagement on campus. Ernest Leroy Boyer, an American educator, vocalized and

began dialogues stressing the importance of community service throughout his tenures serving as

President of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Chancellor of the State

University of New York, and the United States Commissioner of Education. During his career, Boyer

was widely known and respected for his eloquent and significant views on education in America.

His belief was that education should actively engage with the broader community.

While he was commissioner of education he attended a meeting with representatives of the

Employees’ Union and was faced with the question “Why are we here? “ (glassick 18) Boyer

responded that he viewed colleges and universities themselves as citizens responsible to their

broader community and that educators were an invaluable commodity. in a speech given in the

1990’s, Boyer quoted Oscar Handlin, an American historian,

stating, “Our troubled universe can no longer afford pursuits

confined to an ivory tower… Scholarship has to prove its

worth not on its own terms but by service to the nation and

the world” (18). Boyer was a pioneer calling on academia to

reclaim its place at the community table.

Boyer’s call for higher education to be more intentionally connected to the community harkens

to the forward thinking of President Lincoln who, more than a century earlier, signed into effect

the morrill Land grant Act (1862), which expanded the accessibility of education. According to

Alperovitz and Howard, this was “one of the federal government’s important contributions to

...Scholarship has to prove its

worth not on its own terms but by

service to the nation and the world.

part i i i 13

Table 2.1 was created by analyzing the data presented in the admissions section of a student

support site called CollegeData. (COLLEgEdata). Within the section under the heading ‘Selection of

Students’ are different admissions criteria and the level of importance given to each, ranging from

very important to not considered.

Table 2.1: LEvEL OF imPORTANCE ASSOCiATED WiTH ADmiSSiONS CRiTERiA AmONg CTCC mEmBER FOUR-YEAR iNSTiTUTiONS

Very Important Important Considered

Not Considered

gPA 9 4 1 0

Recommendations 2 10 3 0

Essay 2 9 4 0

Extracurricular Activities

2 5 8 0

volunteer Work 1 3 10 1

As indicated in the table, grade point average is considered very important by a high proportion

of institutions. The level of importance associated with students’ recommendations and essays

reflect both the esteem to which they are held and their ability to write a strong statement of

purpose. With respect to both extracurricular activities and volunteer work, perhaps, in light of

the significant body of research reviewed thus far, there is an opportunity to reconsider their

level of importance at institutions that either consider or do not consider these criteria. As

presented in the next section, this possibility of reconsideration might be further stressed should

the institution’s mission align itself with the expression of civic engagement.

12 i part i i

democratic life” (141). While the “original mission [of the grant] was relatively straightforward…

at the heart of Senator morrill’s (and Lincoln’s) purpose was a grander idea” which was “of an

institution that could be a training ground for democratic life and civic practice” (141).The act

and subsequent legislation led to the “country’s first non-elite colleges” (141) which gave each

state 30,000 acres of land for every senator and representative it had in Congress in the effort to

support colleges specializing in agriculture and the mechanical arts. President Lincoln and morrill

believed “citizens are not only born but ‘made’” and that “land grant institutions, by offering

access to non-elites, would serve to deepen political democracy and strengthen civic life in the

nation” (Alperovitz and Howard 142).

The move to strengthen the connection between higher education and the community continues.

The Crucible moment report “calls on the higher education community - its constituents and

stakeholders - to embrace civic learning as an undisputed educational priority for all of higher

education” (Engagement 3). The Crucible moment report serves as a framework that higher

education can utilize in renewing “this nation’s social, intellectual, and civic capital” (2). The timing

of A Crucible moment, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the morrill Land grant Act, further

conveys the concepts of colleges and universities being deeply connected to their communities.

ADmiSSiON TO THE iNSTiTUTiON

The process and criteria for admitting students contribute greatly to the culture of an institution

by determining the characteristics of the student population. The facilitation of a civically engaged

campus can be aided significantly by highlighting existing civic acumen in the student application

process, and has been shown to reliably predict student success.

As outlined in A Promising Connection, “Research indicates

that high-quality curricular and co-curricular civic engagement

is positively correlated with student success in k-12 schools,

community colleges, and public and private four-year colleges

and universities” (Cress, et al. 6). How a student’s commitment to

civic engagement is assessed in the admissions process is largely

reflective of the institution’s interest and intentions.

How a student’s commitment

to civic engagement is

assessed in the admissions

process is largely reflective

of the institution’s interest

and intentions.

part i i i 15

■■ The engaged campus will develop an understanding for how community engagement is

consistent with its mission

■■ The engaged campus will reflect its commitment to community engagement in strategic

planning, allocating resources, administrative decisions, campus life, faculty roles and

rewards, and evaluations

■■ The engaged campus will develop infrastructure that supports the complex nature of

community engagement

■■ The engaged campus will promote a culture of service

The mission statement is the primary mechanism for communicating an institution’s core belief

and value to potential students, donors or community partners. A passage in A Promising

Connection states that, “connecting the institutional mission and educational goals of colleges

and universities with those of community organizations through thoughtfully designed civic

engagement experiences improves student learning outcomes and strengthens the educational,

economic and social assets of colleges and communities alike” (Cress, et al. 1). in this way, creating

a culture of the engaged campus is vital to accomplishing the mission of higher education.

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) provides accreditation services for

public and private institutions in the six state region for pre-k through university. NEASC standards

require that “consistent with its mission, the institution endeavors to enhance the communities

it serves” and “the mission of the institution defines its distinctive character, [and] addresses

the needs of society” (Bringle, games and malloy 8). mission statements are not meant to be “a

nominal element with little function” (8) but rather the guiding principle of an institution.

As of April 2012, there are twenty-eight member colleges and universities in Connecticut

Campus Compact (CTCC), twelve of which are community colleges and the remaining sixteen are

four-year public and private institutions. An analysis of the twenty-eight mission statements was

performed to get a deeper understanding of their alignment with civic engagement. Tables 2.2a

and 2.2b provide a comparison of two and four-year institutions’ use of terminology that reflects

civic engagement.

14 i part i i

SUPPORTiNg STUDENT DEvELOPmENT BY BUiLDiNg A miSSiON-DRivEN CAmPUS CULTURE

There has been a long tradition of higher education in America seeking higher moral and civic

goals dating back to the seminaries in colonial America and colonial colleges which maintained

“a balance among the teaching, research and service functions” (Bringle, games and malloy 1).

The civically engaged campus depends heavily on the actions of its leadership. “Campuses

should measure their civic engagement

… by the willingness of their presidents,

faculty, and other spokespeople to speak out

on issues of public concern and articulate

ideas that contribute to the common good

of American society and the international

community” (Hollander viii). As outlined in

Campus Compact’s “A Promising Connection”

(Cress, et al. 4):

Campuses have used a variety of terms to describe their civic engagement

activities and the ways these activities link to learning. Some of the most widely

used are service learning, community engagement, community-based research,

civic education, community experiences, community-based learning, democratic

practice, and philanthropy education, not to mention a variety of co-curricular

offerings for students. Regardless of the term used, if part of the purpose of the

activity is to educate or enhance students’ understanding of civic life, the work

generally can be referred to as civic engagement.

At its core, civic engagement is a simple idea - acts of civic engagement better our communities

and ourselves. Campuses can choose either to actively help or hinder the exploration of civic

life. The campus is a perfect site for “debate on the critical issues of the day (and) colleges and

universities have the intellectual and professional resources to be actively engaged in addressing

community issues” (Hollander v). Bringle, games, and malloy provide the following principles

that may be used in establishing an engaged campus:

Campuses should measure their civic engagement

… by the willingness of their presidents, faculty,

and other spokespeople to speak out on issues of

public concern and articulate ideas that contribute

to the common good of American society and the

international community.

part i i i 17

The terms reflected in table 2.2a were drawn from the mission statements themselves and

the patterns found within. As this information reflects, the terminology varies from institution

to institution but relates meaningfully to accepted aspects of civic engagement: service to

community/society/public service/service experience, active/responsible leadership, community

partnerships/need/resource/outreach, global society/community, social justice/responsibility,

co-curricular/volunteer activity/active participation and citizenship/civic responsibility/

obligation/engagement. As can be seen, active/responsible leadership and social justice/

responsibility are found in one institutional demographic. A greater proportion of four-year

institutions used terms related to citizenship and service to community in their mission

statements, while the community colleges’ proportionate use of terms related to community

partnerships was far greater. irrespective of differences, there is an overwhelming alignment of

mission and civic engagement broadly defined. Therefore, based on the analysis of these mission

statements, creating a culture of a civically engaged campus across the state should make great

strides in accomplishing the mission of Connecticut higher education.

To recall the words of Boyer, “human beings have many things in common but one of them is

surely service to others. Let the educational process be built on that premise” (glassick 20).

Boyer’s words here echo the importance of civic engagement on campuses and stress the fact

that it is the duty of higher education to provide the means by which students may become

not only better human beings but better citizens as well. Civic engagement can be a simple

idea stemming from the admissions process of an institution which in turn supports the overall

mission of said institution, thus creating a student body, faculty, staff and administration with a

passion for enhancing the culture of engagement on their campus.

16 i part i i

Table 2.2aCiviC ENgAgEmENT TERmiNOLOgY FOUND iN CONNECTiCUT COLLEgE AND UNivERSiTY miSSiON STATEmENTS

Table 2.2b

■■ ■CT Campus Compact member mission Statements that include civic engagement terminology ■■ ■CT Campus Compact member mission Statements that do not include civic engagement terminology

7%

93%

Citizenship, civic responsibility/obligation/engagement

Co-curricular/volunteer activity, active participation

Social justice/responsibility

global society/community

Community partnerships/need/resource/outreach

Active/responsible leadership

Service to community/society, public service, service experience

Terms Occurence in Mission Statements

■ ■■ ■4 year college or university ■■ ■Community Colleges

0 5 10

18 i part i part i i i i 19

part i i i:CiviC ENgAgEmENT AND iTS PREPARATiON OF STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS

A NEW gENERATiON OF gRADUATES AND PROFESSiONALS

A 2010 survey conducted by the Higher Education Research institute found that almost 80% of

students listed “being well off financially” as important to them, while only 40% indicated that

“developing a meaningful philosophy of life” was important; in 1960 these figures were almost

exactly reversed (Battistoni and Longo 4). However, after forty years of decline, educators have

noticed a rise in the number of students “who are interested in public affairs and contributing

to the civic life of their communities” (4) with 85.3% of incoming freshmen noting that they had

taken part in some sort of service before college, and 80% of college seniors indicating that they

had performed service over the past four years (Longo 8).

Employers now expect colleges and universities to mold their students into “civic practitioners

who are able to see their public work contributing to democratic renewal” (Battistoni and Longo

6). Hart Research Associates found that a majority of employers believe colleges should place

greater emphasis on the learning outcomes: “civic knowledge, civic participation, and community

engagement” (Hart 2). Beyond being simply employees, graduates are expected to be engaged

citizens who see themselves as able to “serve effectively as agents of social and political change”

through their vocation (Baker, Spiezio, and Boland 105). This responsibility must be faced head on

by colleges and universities. The goal of this final section is to promote a vision of the Academy

defined by complete and consistent permeability of its boundaries to its communities, identified

by collaborative dialogue built strategically on bridges of reciprocity, and resulting in a veritable

flood of passionate, skilled, global community graduates ready to be both actively engaged and fill

existing and still undiscovered niches of society.

part i i i i 21

Similarly, Battistoni and Longo suggest as the thesis of their report “Connecting Workforce

Development and Civic Engagement: Higher Education as Public good and Private gain” that

“workforce development and civic engagement can be complementary visions for the future

of higher education” (2). We have reached a point in this country where higher education

must actively reconsider itself as an apprenticeship for the world of vocation and citizenship.

The previously outlined literature arguing that the skills built through civic engagement

transcend college and transfer to the workforce is robust.

Students that are civically engaged in college or university

are much more likely to become democratic citizens with

clear ideas of their future goals, themselves as people, and

how they will positively contribute to their community.

This strong sense of self and place is gained through the

skills enhanced by civic engagement, and it requires higher

education as the gatekeeper to one’s profession to instill

these practices into its very fabric.

TRANSFERABLE SkiLLS DEvELOPED THROUgH CiviC ENgAgEmENT

Because graduates with four years or more of post-secondary education are being hired at

greater rates than ever before, there are increased expectations regarding the skill sets that

these new professionals can bring to the workplace. Hart Research Associates finds that 91%

of employers are asking their employees to take on more responsibilities and to use a broader

range of skills (5). Battistoni and Longo find that while colleges are of course responsible for

providing students with the “hard skills” they need to be considered employable – “high

level literacy and numeracy plus the technical skills required of a particular job,” (8) they are

now also responsible for enabling the acquisition of “soft skills,” including but not limited to

“effective listening and oral communication, creative thinking and problem solving, the ability

to work effectively in diverse teams or groups, and leadership and interpersonal skills” (8).

The authors refer to this combination of hard and soft skills as “new basic skills” (8). These

skills are described by the authors as transferable, made possible through a process whereby

students “generalize, transfer, or form associations so that the skills, attitudes, knowledge, and

Students that are civically engaged

in college or university are much

more likely to become democratic

citizens with clear ideas of their

future goals, themselves as people,

and how they will positively

contribute to their community.

20 i part i i i

The college experience is, for most, the bridge to adulthood and the skilled workforce. This is a

transformative experience in both the public and private sphere of an individual’s life, when he or

she must try to make informed decisions regarding the future. Because of this, Cedar Crest College

professors argued in their recent publication Student Engagement: Transference of Attitudes and

Skills to the Workplace, Profession, and Community, “that an individual’s beliefs, perceptions, and

actions are deeply affected by the institutional environments within which that individual lives,

works, and learns” (Baker, Spiezio, and Boland 103). An institutional environment such as the one

described allows for students to see themselves as citizens with passions and responsibilities, and it is

because of this that the authors emphasize “the value of off-campus placements, coupled with class-

based opportunities for reflection and discussion, as a tool

for nurturing a sense of engaged citizenship among students”

(103). With higher education having such an opportunity to

impact on a student’s development as a skilled citizen, it is no

wonder that the professional sector demands that schools

take students beyond the classroom and into the real world.

A 2010 study performed by the Hart Research Associates finds that “when it comes to future hiring,

employers indicate that their greatest increase in emphasis will be on hiring graduates from four-

year colleges” (4). This will lead to greater employee competitiveness. The National Conference

on Citizenship finds that students’ “participation in civil society can develop skills, confidence, and

habits that make individuals employable and strengthen the networks that help them to find jobs,”

(5) so colleges and universities immersing their students in civic life will not only enrich the college

experience, but make students more marketable employees through the skills that they will gain

from this participation. As outlined by the National Conference on Citizenship,

Even at a time when the global economy has been buffeted by strong and dangerous forces,

all communities have capital and skills that can be deployed to create or preserve jobs.

Investors may be more willing to create jobs locally if they trust other people and the local

government, if they feel attached to their community, if they know about opportunities and

can disseminate information efficiently, and if they feel that the local workforce is skilled. All

these factors correlate with civic engagement. Those correlations…lend plausibility to the

thesis that civic health matters for economic resilience (6).

We have reached a point in this country

where higher education must actively

reconsider itself as an apprenticeship for

the world of vocation and citizenship.

part i i i i 23

Students are exposed to the elements mentioned in the right hand column of table 3.1 in almost

every form of civic engagement; they work together in teams to recognize a problem in the

community and brainstorm ideas for solutions, culminating in one goal to be achieved in the

semester’s or year’s work. Students must learn to be held responsible for their actions but also

to communicate with team members to make sure they are attending to all elements of the

project. Through reflection, students analyze and assess their progress and any challenges they

have overcome, their expectations versus the reality, and how they see themselves fitting into

their community and its potential for change. it is clear to see how these skills are also valued in

the workplace, as noted in the left hand column.

The aforementioned skills have been particularly noted in graduates who pursue careers for the

common good, such as nursing, healthcare, psychology, and education. Cedar Crest College’s

study specifically focuses on i-O (industrial and organizational) psychologists examining students

going into the same field. The three authors write, “As i-O psychologists we purport that what

we teach and execute in our profession will make a significant difference in the workplace and

community. in order to be successful, we tell new i-O psychologists to immerse themselves

in the workplace, get to really know the client, and understand their values and needs before

recommending a solution” (Baker, Spiezio, and Boland 102). They also note that it seems

particularly difficult for new psychologists to become actively involved with a client when making

the transition from graduate school, where most of the work is more technical in nature, to the

workplace, where sensitivity to each client’s needs is not something they have had experience

with before. They write “these competencies and skills can only be acquired through active

engagement and experience” (102). The vision of a skilled workforce of engaged citizens

suggests a rapid growth of new career sectors considered “in the common good” as more

graduates identify with this objective.

in Connecticut, 180,000 people are employed by the non-profit sector, accounting for just over

11% of employees, which is over the national average of 5.9% (“Connecticut Statewide Occupation

Employment and Wages”). As Cedar Crest College mentioned in their study of i-O psychologists,

careers for the common good, including education, health care, and nursing, “require civic

professionals, with civic skills, and a strong sense of place,” (Battistoni and Longo 6). Education and

health services account for the largest portion of employees in the state, 26.7%, a percentage

22 i part i i i

personal characteristics that have been learned or developed in one context can be readily used in a

different context” (Haskell 9). in this way, skills developed through civic engagement can be utilized

across numerous professions and be of benefit throughout one’s career. According to the NCOC,

“National service participation has been found to boost basic work skills, including gathering and

analyzing information, motivating coworkers, and managing time” (5) and is largely in line with the

assertions of Hart, Battistoni, and Longo. Hart and Associates demonstrate that employers believe

the emerging workforce must be better prepared to succeed in the global economy than is currently

the case. Table 3.1 presents, on the left hand side, workplace skills that students need to develop

while at a two-year or four-year institution–skills that the research posits are developed through

community based experiences during the undergraduate experience. The asterisk was placed after

skills that were listed in more than one research article. The right hand column provides a list of

skills developed by students during civic engagement that transfer to the workplace. The alignment

of the two lists of skills is quite astonishing.

Table 3.1WORkFORCE AND CiviC ENgAgEmENT SkiLLS

Required Workplace Skills Now Expected by Employers

Skills Developed During Civic Engagement That Transfer to the Workplace

Leadership Skills Leadership

Communication Skills (both Oral and Written) Communication

Analytical Reasoning Skills* Analysis and Assessment

Analyze and Solve Complex Problems Problem Recognition

Team Work Skills* Consensus Building

Critical Thinking Skills* goal Achievement

Understand the global Context of Situations and Decisions

global Awareness

* The asterisk was placed after skills that were listed in more than one research article.Source: Judith A. Ouimet and Gary R. Pike. “Rising to the Challenge: Developing a Survey of Workplace Skills, Civic Engagement, and Global Awareness.” (Directions for Institutional Research, 2007) 75. Print. “Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views on College Learning In the Wake of the Economic Downturn.” (Hart Research Associates, 2010) 6. Print. Kerrie Q. Baker, Kim Edward Spiezio, and Kathleen Boland. “Student Engagement: Transference of Attitudes and Skills to the Workplace, Profession, and Community.” (The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist 2004): 104. Print.

part i i i i 25

with neighbors, and receiving newsletters can put students into contact with people who

can help guide their job search. Not only do students have more connections and options,

employers will look more favorably on students because of these connections and see that

they are engaged. NCOC writes that “participation in civil society is strongly correlated with

trust in other people” as trust is synonymous with characteristics of prolonged, shared

experiences (5). Trust between a community and the businesses in it can only help the area to

thrive and grow in a mutually beneficial way.

global awareness is another outcome of civic engagement that carries over to the student’s

personal and professional life after graduation. Some effects of becoming more globally aware

are “reliance on multiple sources of information (including sources of information from outside

the United States) about international issues, participating in international experience and

learning a foreign language” (Ouimet and Pike 75). Hart Research Associates’ study indicated

that 67% of employers expected employees to enter the workforce with “the ability to

understand the global context of situations and decisions” (1). On a daily basis, many of us will

be asked to communicate with people outside

of our own country and operate within a global

economy. global citizenship leads to more

productive and capable employees and citizens

who know how to navigate today’s increasingly

interconnected world.

By using civic engagement to take learning outside of the classroom and into the community,

educators can have a hand in crafting democratic citizens and professionals already equipped

with the leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills that employers expect new hires

to have in this increasingly competitive job market. Furthermore, being connected to the

community fosters a sense of responsibility and connection to place, meaning that graduates

will see their profession as not only private gain, but as public service. in our globalized world,

choice and action taken to improve our own lives must be gauged by their impact on our

interconnected world. Through civic engagement, higher education has the opportunity to

deliver professionals and citizens to whom we are capable of entrusting the future.

Hart Research Associates’ study indicated that

67% of employers expected employees to enter

the workforce with “the ability to understand

the global context of situations and decisions.

24 i part i i i

that has been steadily rising since 1991 (“Connecticut Statewide Occupation Employment and

Wages”). This data seems to indicate “infusing professional development with a sense of ‘civic

vocation’ can serve to link personal aspirations with public value” (Battistoni and Longo 6).

These careers are seen as especially vital to the community because they cultivate and maintain

the health and education of our citizens; although any career and lifestyle an engaged citizen is

passionate about will reflect positively on our country.

COmmUNiTY ENgAgEmENT: A COmmiTmENT TO PLACE

Civic engagement can build a connection to the community that the student carries with him

into the work world, fostering a sense of civic and corporate responsibility. Battistoni and

Longo state that “Building a commitment and understanding of place, the local economy, the

local culture, and local politics is essential for developing civic and corporate responsibility

– and this can be learned through community engagement” (9). if the connection to the

community and understanding of its problems starts with civic engagement, this can help the

individual. When a student is given responsibility for their learning experience and is guided

through reflection in the classroom, they also develop their reflective judgment and ethical

reasoning skills (Ouimet and Pike 73). Cedar Crest College finds that in being civically engaged,

students “develop their moral voice… [and] acquire a sense of personal responsibility for the

well-being of their local communities” (Baker, Spiezio, and Boland 103). A responsibility and

commitment to one’s community creates a more reflective and proactive citizen that extends

to both the professional and personal life.

As mentioned previously, “Civic engagement can encourage people to feel attached to their

communities;” but furthermore, “(t)he proportion of people who report being attached

to their communities predicts economic growth” (NCOC 5). The National Conference on

Citizenship notes that since many people find jobs through friends, family, professional

connections, and social networks, being civically engaged can connect a student to people

who can aid them in the job seeking process. This “suggests the need for those seeking

employment to maintain strong relationships with neighbors and members of their service

and civic organizations” (NCOC 5). Everything from attending meetings, volunteering, working

26 i part i ConClusion i 27

ConClusion A collaborative effort on the part of the government, policy-makers, educators, communities,

parents, and students is necessary to move the student through the Civic Learning Developmental

Pathway, starting in elementary school and culminating in the creation of a democratic citizen

devoted to both private and public gain. The characteristics developed through civic engagement

create better students, professionals, and citizens, and so continued exposure in elementary,

middle, and high schools through college will result in both academic success and transfer into

the “real world.”

Civic knowledge and responsibility need to be expressed throughout one’s life for a vibrant

democracy to flourish. They must be developed across a broad array of arenas, both in school

and its identified communities. The development and application of knowledge must be

carried out in progressively challenging, interrelated, change-based environments. Students

will perceive opportunities instead of obstacles when the pathway of civic learning is made

clear. in outlining the Civic Learning Developmental Pathway in this document, the Student

Advisory Council of Connecticut Campus Compact has provided a call to action – engagement

builds habits of success. A civic learning pathway must be mapped out developmentally and

collaboratively. it is time to walk the walk.

28 i WORkS CiTED

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WORkS CiTED i 29

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CLDP

Envisioning a Framework for the Engaged Citizenm